Final Fantasy XV - Kingdom Hearts
Part 67
Summary: Two warriors of Light, the Chosen King and Keyblade Master, face an unseen Darkness.
*Month Five: Day One hundred eleven*
*Aqua's Room*
"Okay so with Kairi's magic coming along steadily…we can start practicing Flowmotion for Noct…", Aqua lists as she scribbled down her notes and wrote her schedules.
In her room with the desk littered with several other notebooks and notes made strewn on the desk, her lamp the only light on excluding the moonlight piercing the thin curtains. The master crossed out one line of a plan for tomorrow and made notes to add it in another time and date before she lets out another yawn and rubbed her weary eyes. "Just a few more to make…", was what she had been telling herself for nearly two hours now.
With only seven months remaining before their time was up, she needed to make sure every piece of the training was covered before the time came. While the others had all made wonderous progress with the training and slowly their friends from Eos would soon be able to stand against even one of Xehanort's strongest allies, she feared there were still somethings that needed more work to be a hundred percent sure they'd be fine.
A shame she didn't ask Mickey to lend a hand nor did she ask Lunafreya, but as a master and appointed mentor/leader, she believed this wouldn't be too strenuous and if her master could do it she could equally.
She rubbed her eyes to keep them open with her arm as she made notes to ask Donald how Ignis' magic came along, and when she flipped the next page, her door was opened. She didn't need to look who her visitor was, the heavy footsteps were dead giveaways. That and no one would wrap their arms around her and nuzzle into her neck playfully. Exhaling a content but very tired sigh, Aqua relaxes into Gladiolus' embrace.
"Up late again", he says, rubbing his stubbled chin in between her neck and shoulders. She giggles while jerking forward in a vain attempt to get away from it, her worst ticklish spot he simply loved to exploit to no end. "S-Someone, *giggle* has to write up", she lectured with giggles escaping her lips. Then he relents his tickling torture to look at the amount of work she had been doing despite her and he being the only ones up at this unreasonable hour.
"Blue", started the shield before Aqua tiredly sighed. "I know, I know…just let me write this…and I'll, *yawn*, go to bed", she promises. Gladiolus rolled his eyes at that false vow, many times he would hit the hay early and still find her at the desk. He was sad to say he could not count on his fingers how many times he finds her asleep at her desk, and that was just the start of the month. Admirable as it was she had taken the role of the leader and take the extra amount of responsibilities and workload for the team; she was still training along with them.
"Nah, you can do it tomorrow", he decides and easily lifts her out of her chair. Aqua weakly protested as she was thrown over his shoulder and tried to argue with him the importance of these notes. Yet even as her mind was set on the task, her body wasn't complying with her mind as she barely attempted to struggle against Gladiolus, further showing how weary she is and how sleep-deprived she was starting to get.
She must have dozed off, or at least nearly, often when she was trying to work and many times when she was resting her chin on her hand she nearly fell and slammed her face onto the desk. The suddenly slip often saving her a face full of wood and paper. Aqua hadn't even noticed Gladiolus had practically stripped her armor, boots and helped her rest comfortably in the bed and only when she heard the beat of his heart did she notice.
His arm wrapped around her smaller body and her head resting on his chest, she finally caved in and just accepted her notes could be done in the morning…or maybe the afternoon...evening maybe?
"Are all those notes needed?", he asks, genuinely curious. Aqua would have adamantly stated they were vital to their plan, but when she thought onto it she lamented that they weren't essential as she would have them think. "No…its just little reminders to what we need to work on, along with some points made by the instructors…", she explained as she closed her eyes to allow her mind to settle and body be at ease. "Things like…Prompto's new arms…hmm…Axel's…his…", she tried as her words slurred and grow incoherent.
Gladiolus chuckled and rubs her back, pulling her into a peaceful slumber. "You know, all things considered, we're getting stronger with the way we're doing it…and pretty sure Iggy and Mickey have already compiled everything", he assured. "I wouldn't put it past them…", concurred the master, shifting to get cozier. "I just…want to make sure everyone's ready, you know?", she asked low and soft.
He lets a hum rumble within his chest and throat, holding her close. His hum spurred her to open her eyes, showing the worry and doubt clouding her confidence in her friends…family. Herself, Terra and Ventus had trained for years yet were completely blindsided by Xehanort and that freak in the mask, and their tragedies got worse. Here and now, she was given a chance to prevent those horrible fates that her friends had endured in the past from befallen on the others.
Aqua would never forgive herself if Riku became another vessel to Xehanort, Sora falling into an eternal slumber and gods forbid if Kairi were to fall into the dark realm. She would give her own heart to prevent that fate from even considering to be Kairi's.
"We will be ready for them", Gladiolus says confidently as he laid down on the pillow and lets Aqua sit up to face him. He brushes his hand down her cheeks, comfortingly. "That old bastard may have vessels, but the only reason he had the edge on you three was because he's a crafty old man, and none of you were ready for him", he explained, then smirked: "This time, you've a team, someone whose stopped his heartless and nobody, along with everyone else".
Aqua's worries melt away at those words, confidence returning. He is right she believed, this time there would be no lies or doubt that would shake the bonds of trust with the group, there would be none who could stir fear within their hearts. One flicker of a memory of her daemonized persona proved she was stronger than ever, and within her heart, she knew the same could be applied to the others. And even if she had fears about confronting Terra again, those feelings were put to rest whenever she looked at her students and herself in the mirror.
"Yeah…maybe you're right", she sighed, smiling.
"Course I am, whenever have I not?", challenged the shield with a cocky smirk.
"When you suggested adding basil and paprika to cup-a-noodles would make it tasty?", she reminds.
"…hey nobody's perfect…".
She giggled, but then her smile turned softer and more…alluring as she shifts and straddled his waist, placing her hands on his chest. He raises a brow, knowing what this woman was planning and being completely ok with it. "I thought we couldn't?", he asks with a smirk, resting his hands on her hips as she leaned down to his level. She pecks his cheeks before resting her forehead against his, and says: "I make the rules, and I can break them too".
He sighed exaggeratedly before she captured his lips…
*Month Four: Day One hundred and sixteen*
Practicing a few swings with his keyblade, Ventus tested out his newly developed strength on a dummy while his fellow gym buddy Kairi was running on a treadmill nearby. They were the only ones occupying the underground gym that Naminé had found during her late-night explorations and discovered Merlin had created a gym akin to the one back in the Citadel back in Eos.
Apparently, during one of his wanderings, he stumbled upon Noctis' world and found their old training rooms and had installed it into the cottage's unlimited spaces via magic. The room was wider than the average gyms, almost big enough to fit a small village into with hundreds of equipment perfectly spaced out for the party to use to their heart's desires. Though only Ventus and Kairi occupied it for the moment, people like Gladiolus and Riku have been coming here more regularly when not mentoring or being mentored.
Ventus swung the keyblade upon the test dummy, satisfied to hear his attacks had way more "oomph" and power compared to his usual swift but very weightless attacks. He steps back, bouncing on his feet to keep himself hyped up and pumped for the rest of the regime, something he notes Prompto does during his sparring sessions. He inhales and exhales quickly, dismissing his keyblade and flexed his fingers, feeling the tension in his joints loosen up when they no longer held the mystical weapon.
He picks up his bottle of water and towel to clean himself up, satisfied with the first part of his routine done. Ventus could feel a great change in his strength from these sessions, looking at his arms that have become more toned and defined with muscle along with power coursing through his veins. Ever since Gladiolus had taken up the role of his coach, the man had been ruthless with him in surmounting his limitations and getting tougher.
There were days where Ventus regretted asking him since he was quite the taskmaster when it came to training, and of course, he'd be more bruised than he ever was when he was training with Aqua and Terra. Even still he wouldn't back down, no matter how rough it was and even though he couldn't sleep with the aches, he wouldn't ask him to change a thing.
He hates to say this but he was always been treated like a novice by his brother and sister, where Gladiolus couldn't care if you were his brother or old man, if you wanted him to train you then he'll make sure you toughen up. Within the second month of his training and starting properly with him, Ventus had gone from a leaf in the wind to a bird that defied the worst of storms, able to take a hit from even Gladiolus and keep up.
Though he is still a lower tier compared to the others, he was happy to see he could take on Gladiolus on equal footing.
He throws off his black t-shirt and starts to clean the sweat off his body, then he glanced to the mirror to see indeed his body was more toned than it had been before he started this new work out. Sure he wasn't scrawny like Terra used to tease him about, but his muscles were pretty much like Noctis and Prompto's, very thin and near-invisible compared to Sora and Riku's. Gladiolus probably won the buff man contest amongst all of them, and that man did nothing to hide his ego.
Ventus though could say he had way more confidence in his muscles than Axel, least he shows his arms while that man just hides them. And the pyro even bragged girls like muscles. Then his mind clicked with something that he hadn't considered before when he looked at himself.
Did Rikku like muscular guys?
He frowned and a sudden sense of self-consciousness washes over him when millions of questions began to swamp his mind. Did she even like him lanky? What did she like about a guy like him? Or worse, how would she react if he was super buff? Come to think of it, he wasn't even sure WHAT her preferences were, or types!
She liked cute guys, he fits that category sure, but what else?
"I don't think I've seen any guy look so scared of himself". His worries broke for a moment when Kairi joins him, cleaning her neck with her towel with a tired smile. She gave him a gesture to his t-shirt, hinting for him to at least cover-up. Blushing softly Ventus does so and throws it back on, uttering a low "sorry". The princess giggled and offered they start doing a few pull-ups, walking off to the equipment.
The boy follows as his mind goes back to Rikku and that worrying doubt within him, along with other revelations about his predicament. What do girls like their boyfriends to do? Were there some hidden rules about dating he was never told (very likely thanks to his siblings), does Rikku expect certain things from him?
He lets out a silent groan as Kairi does a few stretches before putting herself through the strenuous training. Ventus looked at the girl, just rubbing her hands together to get ready to grab the bar above her, and then decided maybe the best way to get advice for dating is from a girl currently dating.
"Hey Kairi?", he says, joining her just as she grabbed the bar.
"Yeah, Ven?", responds the girl.
"You're a girl, right?".
Kairi stops herself from grabbing the metal bar and turned to face the boy with the most confused look on her face. He gulps when the words he choose registered in his mind as Kairi's confused look changed into annoyance and deadpanned. With crossing her arms, Kairi replied: "I am? Well, that explains why I have breasts, love cute things and have a penchant for the color pink".
Ventus groaned in reply, running a hand through his hair. "That's not what I meant…", he sighed, "I mean, how do you…you know when you think she's special and want to-
"Make a good impression?", Kairi finishes with a smirk. She makes a very catty smile and raises a finger. "First piece of wisdom? Don't ask a girl if she's a girl".
"Okay, okay! Bad way to start this conversation, I get it!", he groaned in response. All his regret was coming at full force, and he could see this stupidity getting him into potential trouble with Rikku. Maybe he should've asked Naminé…or Lunafreya, least the latter would be more forgiving with her quick wit. At least he hoped she wouldn't smite him for such insolence, he's seen her magic during training sessions…
Kairi's smirk softens to one of genuine curiosity and warmth as she clasps her hands behind her back and asks: "What's up with the question anyway? Thinking about Rikku?". Ventus nods as he rubbed his neck. "Yeah. I mean…well, how do I…woo her?", he asked, cringing at that last part. Kairi snickered and clasps her mouth shut to stop the flow of laughter, shaking her head. Bless this boy's heart she knows he was trying but…
"Woo," her?", she giggled, "Oh my goodness Ven!".
So many mistakes were being made here.
"UGH! I don't know, how do I make her happy!?", he asked, going for the straight forward approach. Kairi calms her giggles and leaned against the machine. "Well first off, have you and her been together long?", she asked. "…no?", he says, scratching his head, "I mean, we…we got together just a few days before we came here".
"So, you're just starting? Well, then there's no need to worry!", Kairi assured with a wave of her hand, "Especially with the keyblade war going on and with how little time you guys had together, her wanting to date you should say a lot about you". Ventus looks at her, surprised. Kairi shrugged and continued: "Maybe she sees something in you that makes her want to start something like this despite how little time you spent together?".
He crosses his arms and looks down pensively while pondering on her words. True he doesn't know her as well as he wanted to, and with everything happening around he is scared he may not get the chance. Yet at Kairi's words, Rikku was the one who was more affectionate and playful with him, confidence radiates off her like light from a keyblade. The way she would always be by him when they were in the same place when they cuddled all morning the night after the party.
She was willing to wait for him to get into their relationship's more serious stage, even hinting she wasn't against marriage. Could she truly be that willing to stick with him? Maybe he was expecting way more than he should have any right to, but then again when he sees Aqua and Gladiolus, they make it work. Even if their time isn't if Kairi and Sora's maybe he was just in the same situation as them?
He looked at his hand, suddenly realizing the folly of those thoughts. Whatever could come from this new bond with her, be it short or long he knows none of it will matter if he doesn't come back from the battle, or worse, not be strong enough to protect her. He smiles at Kairi and nods at her, gratefully before he joins her and begins their sessions of pull-ups.
His thoughts going back to that cheerful spunky girl and somehow thinking of her only pushed him on to grow stronger.
*Month Five: Day one hundred and thirty-six*
As dawn slowly rises over the forest, the serenity of this strange world filled Naminé with peace and calmed her mind. Sitting on the log while slowly watching the sunrise, she kicked her ethereal limbs through the cliff's ledge, humming quietly.
With Kairi sleeping in due to her training going a bit awry with her getting a bit overconfident in her magic wards. The girl should have known better to challenge Aqua to try and break her defenses. Hopefully, that'll teach her not to get too cocky in the battle with Xehanort, or at least not when Sora's not around anywhere, least she'll be safe if someone does break her defenses. Then again she wouldn't put it past them to stick close during the clash, there would be no chance in the dark realm they'd leave each other out their sights.
Anything can happen after all.
She clasped her hands as the sun slowly rises above the horizon, coating the forest in a beautiful sunny glow.
"Guess you're an early riser too".
Naminé gasped and turns in time to see Roxas taking a spot next to her, planting himself down while having one knee propped up to rest his arm upon it. The blonde gave him a happy look while at the same time surprised to see he was walking around like herself. Her eyes must have asked because he gave her a warm smile and says: "Ever since Sora's heart broke, I've been awake. Nowadays I can walk around like you".
"Oh, right…", she says with a sad sigh, remembering those days without the boy. Roxas' smile dims, looking down. "Yeah…guess the only benefit from that was being reawakened, at the cost of Sora nearly perishing". They both stared at the sunrise, trying to block those memories. A dark few days for not just Naminé's friends, but for Roxas too. Trapped in the darkness of his friend's heart, using his light to keep him together.
What felt like days passing of him using fragments of his own constructed heart to keep Sora in check, the strange girl whose name and face he couldn't place yet knew she meant to much to him, trying to keep Sora's memories together to avoid him becoming a husk. The ordeal was a nightmare, and only thanks to Noctis and the others bringing him back in one piece freed him of that duty.
Naminé looked at the boy leaning backward, resting on his hands and sighing. "Why is it every time I met Sora, its always when he's in trouble?", he asks rhetorically. Naminé lets a small giggle out at the jab, somehow that was the only way those two seem to met up. "Well, once we get our bodies you can met up with him without either of you needing to be saved", she teases. Roxas chuckled in response, flashing her a grin.
Their eyes turned to the sunrise again, enjoying the silence before the day began. Even there were words spoken between them, Naminé couldn't help but occasionally glance at the boy and feel warmth race through her heart. She shook them aside, having made peace with her feelings toward Sora be put to rest and accepting the sad fact she wouldn't be that most important person to him. Maybe these feelings to Roxas are ghostly replications of her feelings to Sora, and if they were she felt worse.
Roxas doesn't deserve to be the second option.
"…sorry", he speaks.
Naminé looked at him, confused. "For what?", she questioned.
His face shows he is uncomfortable with this subject, yet he refuses to let it hang in the air. "I'm sorry about it…you know, how you feel about Sora", he says, before he groaned, "Oh crap that sounded awful…". Naminé's smile returns, smaller and fragile yet kind. "How did you know?", she asked. "Well…when you and Kairi talked about it back in the town, I kinda overheard you two…", he confesses, sheepish and she sees a bit of shame in his eyes.
Her mouths a silent "oh", somewhat peeved yet not surprised by that unintentional eavesdrop, her cheeks turning pink. "Then…I guess you heard everything else then? How things were?", she asks, looking down at her feet. Roxas hums in conformation, clasping his own hands and facing the sunrise. "Yeah…and I'm sorry about that too…", he says, "Guess after how that old jerk treated me during that false life I lived, I never considered how he must have treated you".
"He...strongly hated nobodies…", Naminé sighs, still carrying the resentment to the old man regardless of his supposed redemption. Ruefully she laments likely he would be one of the people to help bring her heart back to her body, and the idea of being in debt to him filled her with disdain. "But at least you did what you needed to door to help Sora", Roxas says comfortingly. "But if it would have benefited DIZ more were he to remain asleep, I doubt I'd be able to stop him", Naminé says.
"I doubt it, after all, you defied the organization and escaped to help Sora, so I bet that old wrap-faced jerk wouldn't have stopped you", Roxas says confidently. Her lips form a smile as her cheeks turned rosy, surprised Roxas had this much faith in her. Naminé looks away but feels his ethereal hand clasping around her own, prompting to face him again. The smile adorning his face looked familiar, almost like whenever Sora looked at Kairi.
She gasped however when she felt contact, the smooth leather of his gloves along with the touch of his fingers. After so long of being an ethereal being she had forgotten what it feels to touch something with her hands again, and she feels the warmth from the hand. As the rosy cheeks grow too dark red, she dared to glance at Roxas' eyes and sees the glow of warmth and affection shining brilliantly within them. She could feel and hear the beating her growing heart within her ears, never experiencing such feelings.
"I don't know if I can stack up to Sora…but, maybe, you could give his shadow a chance?", he offered. "Roxas…", she says, moving closer to him. She bravely cupped his cheek and held back the gasp of feeling the softness and warmth of his skin against her palm. This could be her final chance to experience that love Kairi has, to be able to create a bond that would fix the pain within her heart. And here is Roxas offering her a chance.
Yet something within her heart told her this was unfair.
"W-What about her? The girl you have in your heart?", she asks, not suspiciously or cruelly, genuine concern. Roxas' smile dimmed as he rests his hand on hers, and then he says: "I…I know she's important to me, but how I feel about her is like my memories of her, unknown". Closing her eyes and mulling the decisions given to her, she takes a deep breath and decided this will be her final selfless act.
"Can we wait…until we find her?", she asked. Roxas frowns at her but she elaborates: "I won't take you away from someone who has your heart already, and for all, we know she may be the one you belong with".
"And if she isn't? Does that mean, you'd give me a chance?", he asked hopefully. Gathering up her courage and willingness to face the consequences of what the future brings, she kisses him on the lips. The boy wrapped his arms around her and holds her close to him, tasting her lips.
A promise made between the two shadows…
*Month Five: Day one hundred and fifty-six*
"I sincerely hope you're doing this for the right reasons, young man", warned Ignis. Sora responded with a big grin with hands behind his head. "Sure!".
"And that little comment Kairi and Riku made about your previous adventures in the kitchen has nothing to do with your choice?", teases Aqua while tying the apron around her waist. Sora gives his master a pout while the master chef Ignis chuckles lightly. After a day's training and with himself having nothing strenuous, Ignis had offered to make everyone a proper dinner for tonight. With everyone using the bare minimum for dinners and lunches, namely, instant cook meals, the man of the king decided a proper meal is in order.
Granted he would be cooking for a greater number than ever before and there were some specific meals ordered, but he was more than up for the challenge. That was until Aqua offered her help, saying she had a desert in mind she had hoped to try and make again, and then Sora offered to help with the main dinner. This, in turn, made Riku and Kairi give Ignis apologetic looks that did not go unnoticed by the hero.
Ignis was apprehensive to allow Sora into the kitchen after Riku jokingly teased him they'd better get used to camping if he sets the stove on fire and even Kairi couldn't defend his lack of culinary talents. However, the man did recall the times he did ask, or rather have Sora offered, help from the boy that the worst thing he had to deal with was the him not understanding the difference in knives for the kitchen.
Sora, in response to them, bet he could help make a five-star dinner with Ignis and even made a wager with them that if he does, they would have to do the dishes. Riku boldly accepted his challenge with Kairi going along with it for the fun. As disinterested as he was to take part in petty bet like this, Ignis couldn't help himself but to get things ready and prepare a dinner worthy of five stars and more, his pride as a cook is on the line after all.
"Righto", Sora says, picking up the list of dinners and said: "One Dry-Aged Tender Roast Stew for Luna, Grilled Wild Trevally for Axel, Seafood Tartare for Riku and Cold Tomato Soup for Mickey, just to start".
"We'll have quite the work out for our culinary prowess", Ignis says as he starts to cut up the ingredients for some of the dinners. Aqua makes a comment on their more picky eaters, namely Noctis and Ventus for their disdain for veggies while she starts heating the stove and ovens. A subtle smirk appeared on the advisor's face as Aqua slips him a list of ideas on to smuggle vegetables unnoticed.
As the three cooked away whilst making small chat, the aroma of foods wafting into the air with steam and heat mixing perfectly, Ignis would occasionally peek at Sora out of habit to make sure the boy wasn't as horrendous at this task as his long time friends teased him for. Instead, the boy was extremely focused on the recipes, carefully adding the amount of ingredients and other bits of cooking skills he was certain he'd flop at.
With Aqua, having done her meals, doing the deserts. The way she moved and handled the tools in the kitchen, unlike Sora who was being careful with delivering what the man would often strive for, perfection, Aqua moved with confidence and grace as if she was using magic. The cream for the portion of deserts weaved and flowed perfectly while she would add the icing to them with the precision of a surgeon and each of those deserts were identical.
It is an experience for the man to dive into the world of culinary arts with actual talented cooks like himself, and sure he wouldn't mind the workload were it only him doing it. It was refreshing especially when Sora would ask for advice and even added his bits of ingredients while Aqua would give them samples of her deserts. Watching his friends doing something so normal and everyday tasks brings a sense of normality to him, no need to worry about anything outside of it.
"I'm surprised everything is going smoothly", Aqua confesses as she decorates one cake, "I haven't touched anything like this in so long".
"To be fair we've never given you a chance to show your cooking skills", Sora reminds as he adds the final piece of seasoning, "I mean we always leave it to Ignis to cook". Ignis makes a soft hum of agreement as he puts the dish into the oven. "Not that I minded, you six were quite easy to please", he says kindly, "Plus you eat your vegetables unlike Noct". He turns to Sora as he adds salt and pepper to Axel's dish and says: "I will be honest I'd thought you would have some disdain for veg".
Sora grinned as he flips the shaker and places it gently on the counter, turning to Ignis. "Me? Hey, I happen to like my veggies! Growing on an island all we ever eat are veg, fruits, and fish!", he argued. Then he gives him a cheeky grin. "Kairi's the worst for her vegetables!".
This gets both adults to look at him, Aqua mid squeezing the icing out. "What? Kairi? You're kidding!", she accused, "The girl eats her vegetables without a hassle". Sora laughs and shakes his head, leaning against the counter. "Yeah nowadays, but when she was a kid? She hated them! Carrots, broccoli, lettuce, if its anything green and grows on a farm, she hates it", he explained. Ignis chuckled as Aqua shakes her head, a knowing smirk appearing.
"And let me guess, whenever you two ate together, she would put her veg on your plate and like a good boy, you ate them without saying a word?", she asked. Sora raised his hand, guilty as charged. "Well…yeah", he sighed. "It was only when she got older and saw the benefits of eating them she started to have more…".
"Suppose fighting and wanting to get stronger to be at your side may have had a hand in that", Ignis remarked as he starts on his king's dish. Sora rolled his eyes as he worked on another dish for their friends, already imagining the reactions of their party when they see these dishes. Aqua finishes her deserts and stands back to marvel at her handy work, smiling proudly at the colorful pastries before she puts them in the fridge.
Despite knowing the wager, the three islanders made though, she still started to process of cleaning up her station and put the items away. A habit of hers when back at the castle she would clean as she went, figuring the less mess there is the less to tidy up later. When she grabbed the icing dispenser, Sora whistles at the dishes she made for everyone and says: "Whoa, they look amazing!". She smiled back gratefully and holding back the smug feeling.
"Gladio's gonna one lucky husband", he says softly.
"HUSBAND!?", squeaks the master, accidentally crushing the squeezer and firing a rope of it. Her blush turned to ashen white when the sugary pink substance splats on Ignis' face, the man's glasses shielding his eyes from the sugar. Even Sora gave the "oh crap" look and was ready to bolt from the kitchen as Aqua stood as still as a statue. Ignis slowly removed his glasses and looks at them before using a napkin and clean them.
His cheek has a sizable stain along his apron now looking close to a pink one. He looked to the woman, before saying: "If this is your way to sweeten the deal, my dear, I dare say you've taken it a bit too far".
Aqua sheepishly giggled before putting down the dispenser and turned to apologize but then received a face full of flour. She coughs lightly as her face is now powdered white along with her bangs, gone the sheepish look and now irritation in her eyes as the man smirked. "I thought women liked flour. Or was I mistaken?", he asks with smug. Aqua pouts and instead of being a responsible adult like she should have been, she instead sees the silver bowl of icing that was conveniently placed near her, and within range.
She glances at it, then to Ignis, then back it again with a malicious smirk. Catching her, Ignis gives her a look that screamed: "Do it at your own risk". She scoops a handful of it and then chucks the blue icing at the man, only for Ignis to duck and instead smack Sora right in the face with sugary goodness. A small explosion of blue icing on his face as Sora falls on his back from the attack, caught off guard. Aqua clasps her mouth with both hands, shocked and mortified she attacked the poor boy who had nothing to do with her and Ignis. Even the chef looked embarrassed for allowing him to be struck.
Sora sits up, not covered in much icing as Aqua and Ignis' faces were, but some of it stuck to his spiky hair and cheeks before he licks some off. He pouts at his master for that unneeded abuse and gets to his feet.
War had begun…
*Later*
Once the war was put to rest via peaceful negotiations, the three served up the food to their party in the dining room. Some had questions why they looked messier than they would have expected, much more so from Ignis and Aqua but their questions were put to the side when the entourage of food was placed before them.
The dining room was larger than needed but for the party of their size it was perfect, a large chandelier hung above them with busts of some people proudly stood around the entrances, low music played for them while five chairs were empty. Sora proudly placed Riku and Kairi's dinner before them, Stuffed Quail for Riku and Garden Curry for Kairi, both steaming hot and the aroma promising them both a delicacy.
"Cooked from scratch by Sora", informs Ignis as he placed Noctis' food before him.
They both gave the boy smirks as he huffs playfully, muttering them not trusting him as he sets everyone else's dinner before them. At the empty chairs, he hesitates for a moment, wondering if it would be insensitive to place food before their ethereal guests. "What? Nothing for the nobodies?", teases the nobody within his heart.
"You sure?", he whispered gently.
"Gives me an idea on what I can order in future".
With a smile, Sora places down a Croaker in Brown Sauce on the first empty chair and then a Crab Bisque before the other.
Once the food was delivered and everyone sat down to eat, with Naminé and Roxas appearing before everyone (startling Prompto when the ghost boy appeared next to him), everyone said "thank you" and dug in. The moment Kairi and Riku took a bite of their meals, their taste buds danced happily on their tongues way more than the Galdin Quay's food could ever dream to match. Kairi's eyes sparkled with delight as she started to eat more of her meal while Riku mentally groaned but eats his meal.
Conversations were made among the team, banters and jokes about their training while getting to know more about their newest addition to the party. There praises made for the three chefs here, the oldest humble while his two friends were more bashful about their feats. Ventus then asked if Aqua tried using magic again to cook everything, to which she quickly denounced and said: "Not after the last time! Remember that?".
Both her and Ventus shuddered at the memory, gaining everyone's attention and prompting questions. Ventus explains years ago Aqua, being super confident, tried to make a full course meal from scratch using magic to manipulate the food and things needed. The woman ducks her head away with embarrassment as he states at first it went well enough but then the utensils started to go crazy and attacked them.
The table laughed when he retold the battle between Terra and the whisk, the horrible dual between Aqua and the army of forks and spoons while Ventus was being maimed by a swarm of herbs.
It took Master Eraqus to quell the battle and the three of them spent all day cleaning the kitchen and Aqua got grounded for nearly a month for her arrogance. Both Ignis and Sora gave each other a grateful look that the woman didn't attempt to replicate her misadventures in the kitchen.
Along with that, Roxas added that among them all Axel was the absolute worst when it came to cooking. The pyro unashamedly admits he was the last person anyone should trust when it comes to cooking, revealing he once "accidentally" set the kitchen on fire during their times with the organization. Kairi playfully teases the two she doesn't believe that story because Axel is not only lazy when it comes to things like that but also all he ever eats is ice cream.
That was when Roxas reveals he was trying to make the ice cream. A silence befalls them before Noctis spoke up: "Axel, as king of Insomnia you are forbidden to enter the kitchen without supervision and a fire extinguisher".
As dinners were consumed and collected by Prompto and Ventus, deserts were brought out and shared amongst the party. The party praised the chefs again only for Sora and Ignis to clarify Aqua was the one who did the deserts. Ventus easily backed her up, stating the added a touch of icing within his desert. Goofy even asked why she had so much sugar in these deserts, saying it was a large contrast compared to her healthy habits.
She kindly replied: "Deserts are the only pleasurable food we're all entitled to have, and as such deserve to be extra sugary!".
Lunafreya giggled and agreed with her wholeheartedly, and it had nothing to do with her monstrous sweet tooth that Noctis teases her about. Gladiolus simply questioned how none of the three of them had gotten diabetes with the amount of sugar. Not that it stopped him from eating his own.
Finally, when all meals were consumed and dishes collected, Kairi and Riku begrudgingly got up and headed for the kitchen as the dining room emptied. Their food was too amazing for words, and a million times better than his first time, meaning they their end of the wager to uphold. Before they got to the door, however, Sora immediately jumped in the way, blocking them.
"Hey, where you going?", he asked.
"To the kitchen? To clean?", Riku asks, confused as Kairi. "Because we lost the wager?". Sora shakes his hands with a shaky smile. "O-Oh, pfft! Nah! We'll call it quits!", he says with a laugh. Kairi folds her arms with a questioning look. "Why? You were pretty gun-ho for the idea", she reminds with a narrowing gaze. Sora's smile was strained before Aqua steps in. "W-We'll take care of the kitchen", she announces.
"What? Aqua-
"We insist", the master states with more force, trying to usher them away. However, they remained strong in their stance and Riku pushes Sora aside and Kairi gently moves Aqua away and together they head into the kitchen.
And regretted it.
A warzone was the best way to describe the state of the kitchen, opposite to what they expected from Ignis. Forgotten utensils unwashed and stacked up high in the sink and counter, splotches of food everywhere, flour decorating the counter with plops of food and ingredients with eggshells and the yolk leaking from it.
Both keyblade wielders turned to Sora and Aqua, both sheepishly looking away. "The hell happened in there?", Riku asked, smirking. "…Aqua started it!", Sora says, pointing at her. She reels on him with embarrassed fury. "Excuse me!? YOU'RE the one who instigated it!", she argued glaring at him. Sora, in turn, pouts at her before Kairi stepped in with a clap of her hands, looking at her master. "So, if I'm understanding right…you guys, YOU, Aqua, my master and the definition of grace and order…started a food fight?", interrogated Kairi.
"…Ignis started it".
This made all eyes fall onto the man, overhearing the conversation. Ignis raised a brow at this attention, his cheeks turning dusty red as he clears his throat. "In my defense, I was merely retaliating when she sprayed me with icing…", he clarifies, "…but she was the one who escalated the fight". Kairi gave her master a cat-like grin, wiggling her eyebrows and making a permanent memory of this, leverage~
"Well since you guys made things a lot more messier than needs be", Riku says, grabbing master and friend's shoulders, "Guess whose gonna help me and Kairi tidy up?". Both Sora and Aqua groaned as they were dragged into the kitchen, laughed and teased by the others.
While Ignis walks away with a smug look.
*Month Seven: Day One two hundred and fifty-six*
After making some snacks, gathering up several couches, armchairs, blankets, and seats, everyone settled into the large living room as the large television played the first chosen movie. Lights dimmed as the only light was from the screen, couples paired off on the couches while others shared a seat and made themselves comfortable, the firs movie played is nothing but a romantic comedy. To say many found it incredibly cheesy was an understatement.
The lines were grossly cheesy, the characters were as stale and bland as plywood and the "romantic" scenes were so sickly cliché it made some rub their jaws. Not many trashed the movie as the person who chose it was Lunafreya, who was swayed by the cutesy box cover that beguiled her into thinking the movie was going to be good.
Not that it stopped the others for making fun of it, certainly.
The boys groaned at the guy while the girls would cringe at the pickup lines, the lame ways the girl tried to seduce the main lead and then when the steamy parts rolled in Donald just skipped the scene without resistance. When the film was finally, mercifully, over, everyone gave their thoughts and ridiculed how cliché the old flick was.
"Talk about desperate…that scene was something else…", Riku groaned as he sits back into his seat. Axel let out a scoff: "What? You say if that Iris girl did that you'd walk away without batting an eye?", he asked. One glare from Gladiolus made Riku use the wisdom and experience his adventures had taught him to not answer that question and just keep his mouth shut. Axel muttered "wuss" under his breath while Kairi snuggled into Sora's chest comfortably.
"What about you, Prom? Think Cindy would be into that?", the pyro asks. The gunner blushes and muttered something, twiddling his fingers. Noctis playfully punches his shoulder and teases him while Lunafreya giggles at their playful nature, before asking: "And you, Noct?". Noctis, more confident and casual than his buddy, replies: "Aren't we already together? Why would you need to try and seduce me?".
"She could probably bat her eyelids at you and BAM, Insomnia has a queen instead of a king", Ventus says with a giant smirk. Noctis glowered at him while his lover giggles profusely, somehow believing she had that power over the chosen king. "And *you* be able to tell that Rikku lass no if she asked you to do something for her?", Gladiolus challenged with a grin. Ventus blushed and looked down, quietly saying: "…no".
Aqua held back her sigh, again deciding to meet her properly before she judged her. In secret, she hoped Ventus would keep his promise and wait for marriage first before they would…
She shakes her head, that was a road she didn't need to go down. Then she was pulled into Gladiolus and rests her head on his shoulders, forgetting the dark path and enjoying the embrace. "And Blue doesn't need to anything to convince me, after all-
"GLADIO!", shrieked Ventus, scarlet.
"What? I was gonna say I'm already her boyfriend", he asked innocently with a raised brow. Then it turned evil. "What did you think I was gonna say?". Ventus pouts at the older man and crosses his arm, grumbling something. Aqua, however, slapped him on the stomach, glaring yet blushing at the hint and tease in his voice. She knew damn well the man wasn't above tormenting her brother with hints and ideas of what adults do when they're in love and share a bed.
"And Sora goes without saying, right?", Axel says with a knowing smirk. Everyone bar the two subjects of the conversations, all agree, making Sora blush and pout. "What? I'm not THAT whipped!", argued the boy.
"Sora, sorry, but could you pass me the pillow, it's just a little tricky to get comfortable", Kairi asks softly.
Sora immediately reached over and grabbed the pillow, placed it on his lap and gently laid Kairi's head on it. "That better?", he asks. She giggled and pecks him on his cheek and says: "Yes, thank you". He beamed but then blushes when everyone gave him smug looks, prompting him to shoot everyone a glare before he returned his gaze to Kairi. Axel rolls his eyes and makes a groan, exclaiming: "Damn, is everyone here paired off but me and Iggy?".
"Well I'm married", Mickey says, pulling out a chain with the wedding ring for his finger out of his collar, showing everyone. "Nearly twenty years now, time flies". There were some praises and coos from the girls, everyone bar Sora not noticing Noctis was eyeing Lunafreya's wedding finger. His blue eyes looked to Sora, who gave him a knowing wink. Donald then brags he's in a loving relationship as well, but Sora and Goofy shared a chuckle among themselves. The duck glared at him but Goofy stops him before he could escalate.
"What about you, Goof? There a misses waiting for you?", Gladiolus asks. "Aww shucks, I hadn't been married for a long time, Gladio. It's just me and my son".
"SON!?", everyone except Donald and Mickey exclaimed.
Goofy laughed and nodded, "Yup, my son, Maxy!". He showed the party photos of his son carried in his wallet, showcasing a young teen and less "goofy" version of himself. "How come you never told me you were a dad?", Sora asks, surprised he kept such an important piece of his life from him. Goofy scratched his head and says: "I thought I did, guess I must've forgot. But it ain't like you'd catch him at the castle, he's always off with his girlfriend and friends".
"Max is being trained to be the next captain of the guards", Mickey revealed, "Just a bit too young and stubborn yet".
"You'll have to introduce us next time", Kairi says, "I bet he must be so proud that his father is out there saving the worlds". "Plenty of stories to tell him", Aqua concurs. Axel then playfully elbows Ignis, smirking. "Guess it's the single life for us then, huh?", he says. Ignis, however, raises his brows and plucks out a small piece of paper from his breast pocket. "On the contrary Axel, I believe I may have a fair chance in the dating department should I survive the war".
Curious, Sora looks at the paper and sees it's a list of phone numbers. His eyes bulge open in shock. "I know these numbers! Yuffie? Paine? Yuna? TIFA!?", he lists. "Wait, Tifa!? As in that one with the huge rack!?", Axel says, sitting upright. "Also, with raven black hair, brown often mistaken for red eyes, bar owner and martial artist", Riku groaned, "But why remember those qualities?". Axel groaned and slumps in his seat, realizing he was the only one who was gonna remain single for the rest of his life.
Sometimes life was just unfair…
For the rest of the night spent before everyone headed for bed, the team watched more awful movies that paled in comparison to their adventures. An action movie so over the top, even Sora and Riku rolled their eyes at and with one-liners so cringy Axel suggests to the team if they used them on the organization. Prompto, however, argued they wouldn't understand since they wouldn't know what fun is.
A comedy that made a few of them snicker and chuckle at the absurdity of the situations the characters were in and even a few snickers from the Oracle. Though they paled in comparison to the tales Sora had.
Then comes a horror movie that, again compared to their adventures, did little to spook them. Though it gave Kairi plenty of excuses to snuggle and cuddle up to Sora because she "got scared" and would bury herself into him. Even during the scenes that had no scary moments. Aqua mostly laughed at the movie, finding them amusing than frightening. Not that it stopped her from snuggling up with her boyfriend mind you.
After their last film, which was a sci-fi themed movie that Ventus wanted to see, everyone cleaned up and returned the seats, bid each other a good night and headed for their room.
Laying down on their bed with a small yawn, Aqua allowed herself to be wrapped in Gladiolus' arms and cuddled. "We're getting closer to the end now", he says, stroking her back. "Yeah…", she says. "So, you think they're ready?".
Aqua faces him and nods. "When the time comes closer to the end, I'll uphold my promise", she assured.
The war draws closer as their training reaches its end, and soon enough an oath made by the master will be fulfilled. With luck, history won't repeat itself.
A/N:
…I'm so sleepy…
This is a very different sort of chapter I normally avoid doing, but I'm sure a lot of you are getting tired of the delays and are raring to see the keyblade skirmish finally start so we're breezing by the months while finishing it all off with something that's long over due!
First off, shout outs!
Keybladelight: they suggested the cooking scene, except I suck at cooking so instead of a cook off, it was my usual stuff but thank you for the idea!
Jikker Jack: They suggested the movie night along with Max (yes Goofy DOES have a legit son) be acknowledged, so thank you again for the help.
VashTheStampede0409: Aside from helping with opinion and suggestions, big thanks to the idea of Ignis building a harem while we leave Axel single.
QUESTIONS!
Q1: Thoughts on this chapter?
Q2: Ignis being a girl magnet?
Q3: The cooking scene?
Q4: Was Ventus being cringy (I know I hate me for it).
Q5: What are you looking forward to next time?
Q6: What do you think is gonna happen next time?
Q7: Naminé and Roxas scene? Thoughts?
As always everyone, thanks for reading! Stay awesome but more importantly stay safe!
